Councils to use GPS in bid to keep roads clear of snow and ice

More councils plan to use GPS technology to keep roads clear of ice and snow this winter, according to new figures.

Temperatures are expected to plunge to -3C across parts of the country this weekend as the winter cold snap takes hold, with snow expected in the south west and north as well as the hills around the midlands.

Nine out of 10 councils in England and Wales insist they are prepared with either the same amount of salt as last year or even more, the Local Government Association’s annual Winter Readiness Survey found.

The vast majority will use GPS to make sure that salt is spread as efficiently as possible and that gritters take the quickest and most effective routes to snow-hit areas.

To cope with limited funding, more than half of councils will pool their salt stocks in the worst-hit areas and almost a third will sharing gritters.

More than 60 per cent will equip their staff with salt for street cleaners to spread on pavements and almost 85 per cent will provide local communities with grit bins.

Figures published last week revealed there were more than 34,000 “excess deaths” across England and Wales last winter, the second highest level in eight years.

The LGA  is urging people to check on their neighbours and said council teams would monitor the wellbeing of elderly and vulnerable residents during the winter months.

Many gritters have already been deployed as temperatures tumbled in recent days.

The Met Office said a weather warning was in place until 10am on Saturday for Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland and Wales as well as the north of England, Yorkshire and the West Midlands.

Martin Tett, the LGA transport spokesman, said planning for winter was a key priority for councils.

"Local authorities have taken the steps necessary to protect their residents from floods, ice and wintry conditions," he said.

"Councils are constantly monitoring the weather with up-to-the-minute reports to stay one step ahead.

"Depots are filled with 1.5 million tonnes of salt and gritters are ready to be deployed at a moment's notice to make sure our local roads are clear and open to our residents where possible."